Blog Posts by Bob Guerrero

Caligdong. UNAUTHORIZED COMMERCIAL USE OF THIS IMAGE PUNISHABLE BY LAW. Image copyright Bob Guerrero.

Match reports from UFL Div 1 action from Emperador Stadium.

Green Archers United Globe 4, Air Force 1.

One team kick-started its league campaign after a bad start. Another team saw its misery continue.

The Archers picked up their first points of their season with an emphatic victory, while Air Force's nightmare season extended as they absorbed their third loss.

Green Archers welcomed back Jonjon Melliza and he opened the scoring with a powerful one-hopper from outside the box that beat Air Force keeper Ken Dolloso.

Melliza just finished leading the UAAP with 22 goals and with his strike, proved that even in the top tier he's a force to be reckoned with.

ALSO READ: Payatas Football Outreach celebrates second anniversary.

Just two minutes later United made it 2-0 when Chieffy Caligdong redirected a ball from Melliza with his head past Dolloso.

Air Force didn't pack it in, though. Nine minutes later off-season acquisition Ansing Gustilo collected a loose ball outside his box and

Christiaens. UNAUTHORIZED COMMERCIAL USE PUNISHABLE BY LAW. Image copyright Bob Guerrero.

Recaps of Tuesday's UFL division 1 games at the Empy.

Global 6, Army 0.

It was a meeting of clubs going in opposite directions, and it showed on the pitch.

Defending champs Global remained spotless with four wins from four matches. Meanwhile Army was a shadow of the team that played Stallion tough in losing 2-1 last week, and are still in search of their first point after three games.

Global got a pair of goals from Jeffrey Christiaens, a strike from Ben Starosta, and late scores from substitutes Marvin Angeles and Matthew Uy.

But the finest goal of the evening belonged to Misagh Bahadoran. The Azkal nicknamed “Hollywood” received a 36^th minute cross from Jerry Barbaso and scissor-kicked the leather past Army stopper Eduard Sacapano.

Just nine minutes earlier Barbaso had assisted Ben Starosta for his goal with a similar cross.

Four minutes after the half Christiaens picked up his first goal, outrunning the right flank of the Army defense and finishing clinically to make it 3-0. The

Tomlinson and Moore with Global players. Image copyright Bob Guerrero.

Football heals. Football inspires. Football transforms. And you need look no further than Payatas, Quezon City's notorious dumpsite.

Located off the dusty concrete two-laner called Litex Road lies Payatas Trese, an unlikely venue for the Beautiful Game.

Two years ago two young Brits, Naomi Tomlinson and Roy Moore, launched Fairplay For All Foundation to introduce the sport to disadvantaged kids, many of whom pick through the trash to eke out a living. Apart from Football, the organization also helps feed and care for the kids.

I recently wrote about them and their Football Club, Payatas FC, last month when they played Xavier School's team in Turf BGC.

Payatas FC, which Moore coaches, has already joined several Football tournaments and trains a few times a week.

ALSO READ: FEU-FERN's new Football pitch: Artificial grass comes to QC.

I'm invited to their anniversary and I  arrive at the cramped Basketball court in Trese I see dozens of kids milling around and a few familiar faces

UNAUTHORIZED COMMERCIAL USE OF THIS IMAGE PUNISHABLE BY LAW. Image copyright Bob Guerrero.

With the speed at which artificial grass pitches are sprouting all over the metropolis, you'd think they were made of the real thing.

Tucked away on a quiet, leafy suburb of Quezon City is the newest artificial Football field in Metro Manila, the FEU-FERN pitch in Mapayapa Village near Commonwealth Avenue.

The facility is the home of FEU's vaunted junior Football program, and will also serve as the training ground for FEU's senior team. In fact while I'm visiting, Dr. Kim Chul-Su, FEU's Technical director, is busy mentoring the high school team.

The field has been cut out of a gentle slope near the entrance of the school.

UNAUTHORIZED COMMERCIAL USE OF THIS IMAGE PUNISHABLE BY LAW. Image copyright Bob Guerrero.

Several features distinguish the pitch from the other fields currently in use. Firstly, I am told that the playing areas is a full 68m wide and 105m long, which makes it probably the biggest synthetic field in the country and the only one roomy enough for an International match.

ALSO READ: UAAP Football: Ateneo Men, FEU ladies are champs.

I hear conflicting reports

image copyright Bob Guerrero

Game recaps of the concluding matches of the Men's and Women's senior Football competitions played Sunday at the Moro Lorenzo Field in Ateneo de Manila.

Men's Game 2: Ateneo 0, UP 0 AET, Ateneo wins PSO 4-2.

Some might call it winning ugly, but for Ateneo, the victory couldn't have been more beautiful.

The Blue Booters swept both games of a possible Best-of Three series to win the UAAP Men's Senior Football competition for the first time since 2006.

Once again it was Yu Murayama who booted in the winning kick in the shootout, just as he had done in Game 1 of the series. The shootout was necessitated by after 120 minutes of scoreless play.

The reserve goalkeeper-turned field player sent his attempt into the high left corner of the goal, past UP shootout specialist keeper Tyrone Caballes in the top of the fifth round of the penalty shootout.

As soon as the ball burst the net, Ateneo fans spilled onto the field and celebrated with the team.

While winger Mikko Mabanag was named Man

Jose Andoni Santos. UNAUTHORIZED COMMERCIAL USE OF THIS IMAGE PUNISHABLE BY LAW. Copyright Bob Guerrero.

Pachanga Diliman 2, Pasargad 1.

With a solid come-from-behind victory on Saturday, Pachanga-Diliman are looking like a dark horse for this year's League.

Jose Andoni Santos equalized for PD seven minutes before the half, then in the 69^th minute Ousseynou Diop put them ahead for good.

Pasargad had earlier gone ahead with a Jahambakhsh Taher penalty.

The triumph is the second of the season against one loss for PD. It's a tough defeat for Essie Sedigh's winless club.

PD were without the services of Guamanian Internationals Ian Mariano and Jason Cunliffe, who are both preparing with the Matao for upcoming AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers.

However Diop did return after an absence due to groin issues.

ALSO READ: Thursday Football Roundup: Ateneo Men, FEU Women, and Loyola win.

Pasargad saw the return of Fil-Spanish left back Emil Muncada.

The game was a high-tempo affair all throughout with both teams getting early chances.

But in the 33^rd minute PD's Yves Ashime was called for a handball in

O'Donnell celebrates Murayama's winning kick. UNAUTHORIZED COMMERCIAL USE OF THIS IMAGE PUNISHABLE BY LAW. Image copyright Bob Guerrero.

UAAP Men's Senior's Final Game 1: Ateneo 1, UP 1 AET. Ateneo wins 4-3 via PSO.

A gritty Ateneo team took a giant step closer to ending UP's reign in UAAP Men's Senior Football with a gutsy Game 1 shootout win at the Moro Lorenzo Football Field.

The Blue Booters' Fil-Canadian goalkeeper, Nick O'Donnell, blanked two poorly-taken penalty kicks from Michael Sims and Gabe Mendoza, as Ateneo won the shootout, their second in less than a week.

In the Final Four they defeated DLSU in a shootout by the same score.

Ateneo has now defeated the two-time defending champs three times this season. The Ateneans swept the Battle of Katipunan series with their neighbors during the regular season.

UP bossed the first half, with their midfield, led by Michael Sims, seemingly bringing the ball down the center of the park at will.

ALSO READ: A chat with the newest Azkal, Javier Patiño.

The Maroon Booters' enterprise was rewarded when Vince Aguilar collected a center from Daniel Gadia, fended off two

With Patiño and Ebong Joson. UNAUTHORIZED COMMERCIAL USE OF THIS PHOTO PUNISHABLE BY LAW. Pic by Rafa Garcia, copyright Bob Guerrero.

I've spent bits of the last few days flexing my Spanish language muscles with Javier Patiño, the Fil-Spanish striker who will suit up for the Azkals.

We're sitting in the PFF offices. He's dressed in a plaid shirt and jeans. There's a birthday blowout and some wicked callos being served, but Patiño passes on it. He says he's had a big breakfast and isn't hungry.

He and Rafa Garcia, the team's Spanish translator have dropped by after fixing his papers. He gets his Filipino passport soon.

Patiño plays for Cordoba in the Spanish second division, of Liga Adelante, which is a tier below the primera division where the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona lurk. You can see him score a goal for the Andalusians in this Youtube clip.

ALSO READ: UFL: Global stays perfect, Kaya and Nomads draw.

However recently he was loaned out to Xerez, which is in the same league but languishing in the bottom of the table.

Patiño says he has struck three times in about twenty games this season. He is a forward